S194.
Embracing Bilingual Writing & Bicultural Narratives
Saturday, March 26, 2022
1:45 pm to 3:00 pm
From the many phrases and words that can’t be literally translated to all of those cultural differences, these five Latin American/Hispanic writers will share how they navigate and balance both languages in their work. The writers on this panel explore the advantages and the importance of bilingual writing across genres and how mixing language (code-switching), culture, and literary traditions helps them to find their unique voice while reflecting on the struggles found along their journeys.
Participants
Ofelia Montelongo is a bilingual writer from Mexico. Her work has been published in several literary magazines. She teaches at the University of Maryland and at the George Washington University. In 2021, she was named a PEN America Emerging Voices Fellow. ofeliamontelongo.com
Gloria Muñoz is a Colombian American writer, educator, literary translator, and advocate for multilingual literacy. Her poetry book Dawn's Early / Danzirly was awarded the Academy of American Poets 2019 Ambroggio Prize. She is also the author of Your Biome Has Found You.
María Isabel Álvarez is a first-generation Guatemalan American writer. She received her BA in English literature and her MFA in creative writing from Arizona State University. Her writing has appeared in Kenyon Review, Black Warrior Review, Sonora Review, and Gulf Coast, among other venues.
Ernesto L. Abeytia is a Basque and Spanish American poet and teacher. His poems appear or are forthcoming in Prairie Schooner, Fugue, Crab Orchard Review, and elsewhere. He teaches at Binghamton University and Arizona State University. www.ErnestoAbeytia.com
Isabel Díaz Alanís is a writer from Monterrey, México. She holds a doctoral degree in Hispanic studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Her forthcoming memoir No Hay Nadie en Casa deals with navigating impostor syndrome in academia.
